"…then there was the year we homeschooled the kids!"

Thought for Today

I posted this before editing. I was certain I would have time to do that early this morning, but that has proven to be difficult. Please excuse any typos. Not that my writing is normally free and clear of these, but this one will more than likely have many. You’ll probably encounter a lot of sentence structure that could use heavy revision so beware. Thank God for spell check. At least I know I have that much covered.

Now, to go care for my teething baby, start Story of the World, and play outside on this beautiful Fall day!

I am remembering today to be patient and to let Jane continue to grow at her own pace. We will do the routine (math, phonics, spelling, etc) at her own accelerated pace, yet I will not push. Instead, I will look for ways to inspire her. She will also be able to read whatever books she wants, at whatever level she choses, create bug zoos, play Narnia in the back yard, laugh, play, joke, get in trouble, play with her friends, scrape her knees, cry when her feelings get hurt, climb hills, play in the mud, dig for earthworms, say words in everyday conversation like “hypothesis”, “analysis”, “arbitrary”, and still use unwords like “beated”, or pronounce thunder as “funder”. She is a little kid with the maturity of a little kid with the ability to conceptualize the world on a much more complex level. The uneven development that arises – the intense emotions, perfectionist tendencies, the need for approval – is something I will have patience for. I will rise to this occasion to help this child to develop into everything she is capable to be within the limits of what her capabilities are. Jane is an extremely bright child, and she is also a loving, cute, and incredibly tender-hearted teacher who helps guide Jackson and myself in profound ways.

I chose to homeschool Jane, not because of a failing public school system, not to shelter her from the evils of the world, and not because I think she is better than the next kid. I chose to homeschool Jane because I can see who she is down to her core. I understand her. I just, get it! Because of that she is thriving.

I have to admit that there have been times over the past two weeks that I was ready to give up. I was ready to throw in the towel, even searching for ways to possibly put her in a school for children like Jane ($30,000 a year schools)… that will just NEVER be a possibility. I have to also admit that Jane does drive me crazy. At times, I feel like her ability to process information combined with her constant need to communicate all of her thoughts in order to organize them, will send me to the nut house. No matter what, at least I can say I went there never giving up on this child, ever. I will always do what is best for her within my capabilities to ensure she receives the tools necessary to develop her talents, take her gifts, and let them blossom to their full potential.

I have to do this for her, but I also have to make this something that benefits everyone. I know I can’t see it now, but I’m certain Annie and Molly are gaining from this experience. Maybe I can’t take classes with Molly, spend an abundance of one-on-one time with Annie, and sometimes my nights are consumed with things like… well, blogging. Either way, I look over and enjoy seeing Molly light up during NPL storytime, the excitement she gets looking at the fountains, or crunching fallen leaves in her hand one after the other while we are on a field trip based around a topic she is too little to understand. I also look over and see Jane reading a book to Annie, helping her identify letters, and making out their letter sounds. Progress is being made, somehow.

God works in miraculous ways and it’s always the rough spots in which we struggle to see Him there, but He is more bright than ever. We just have to be still and quiet enough to be able to listen to what he is telling us. It’s in the laughter, joyful play, “thank you Mommy”s, the smile, the shared look in the rearview mirror while waiting at a stoplight, or the peace after they have gone to bed at night. Those are the times when, if we look hard enough, we can find God there, in all of the corners, being proud of our path – the path which, even though slightly offbeat, reaps the rewards of a right decision made even though it took us off course compared to the norm. As long as God can inspire me, I can inspire Jane, and Jane can in turn teach me more and more about the beauty of the world, then we have just started a pattern that reaps rewards greater than the norm could ever have. I just have to remind myself to be patient, to see God there, in everything, and to listen for Him along this path, and to continue to let Him light the way.